A little bit of trivia for guys out there who are wondering why hero images are called as such. The term “hero” was first used in the world of theater and it was the prop (it’s usually called the hero prop) that is more detailed than usual because it’s meant to be seen or viewed in close range. One good example of a hero prop is the DeLorean Time Machine from the film franchise “Back to the Future”.

So if you were thinking that hero images had something to do with comic book characters in capes and gadgets then you are a tad bit far off. But still, their modern day purpose in web design can be almost like that of a superhero in that they can save the day.

But how did the hero image came to be? Where did it start? How did it become the hottest trend in web design since popups and splash pages?

Origins in Traditional Media

When the idea of hero images first came out, people were a bit worried about it. A lot of people say that having a very large image on the front page might not be the best thing to do. Others think that it was just a very tacky way to say “I’m creative, get over it.”

People forget that hero images, or at least the idea of hero images, have always been in use even in traditional media. When was the last time you visited a newspaper stand? They may not be that common these days but I am pretty sure you can recognize one when you see one. Ever noticed how most newspapers are always using large images on the top-half fold of their publications? According to some newspapers I know, this is to attract buyers who will be intrigued by the images. Some well-known and respectable newspapers use images of people of interest, recent happenings, or emotion provoking pictures. Other, less popular newspapers usually go for racy pictures or controversial images to pique the interest of passers-by.

Hero Images in Modern Web Design

If it worked in traditional mediums like newspapers, it should probably work with modern web design as well, right? With where modern web design is going these days, that’s a big yes. Gone are the days when the page-by-page design appeals to your audience. Most websites nowadays are following a more storytelling approach in their design. The idea is that your visitors should be able to understand what you do, what you can offer, and why they should choose you over the others on the home page alone. A hero image (which is basically just a very large attractive image header) serves not only as eye candy but also as a medium for websites to “tell a short story” with an image. In a time when people have very short attention span, you can easily cram an idea into one image instead of a 200-word blurb.

Why Use Hero Images?

I can’t count the number of times friends, clients, and other people have asked me this question. According to most of them, this questions stems from what seems like a sudden popularity of the element. Here are some of the reasons why using hero images is always a good thing if done properly.

1. It builds your brand – A lot of people who are hesitant in using Hero Images believe that committing the largest and most prime real estate on your website to an image is not logical. While this may be partly true, a Hero Image can easily tell a story and build your brand just by being there. This is really effective for websites and brands that have services or products that have a great story to tell.
2. It gives answers to customer questions – Oftentimes, websites use hero images as a means to provide an answer to a probable question. For example, some e-commerce sites use their hero images to include information such as “100% organic, Free Shipping to USA, or Made from the wool of 100% Highlander Yak. This is to address possible questions or time-sensitive information that customers might make or need.
3. It can highlight your value proposition – As a business, it will always be your goal to differentiate yourself from the competition. This is what we call value proposition. It’s basically telling your customers that value your service or product brings to them. Where better to put it than on your hero image. You can put it in the form of a call-to-action in your hero image.
4. To make an announcement – They say that whenever you have something exciting to announce on your site then your hero image is your best bet. Pop-ups and floating elements don’t work anymore so you might as well put it in a place where you are sure people will see it. Announcements posted on hero images get the most visibility and thus more exposure. Announcements include sales, the arrival of new products, and product giveaways.

How to Properly Use Hero Images

With the one-page approach becoming very popular, more and more websites are gearing towards the use of Hero Images. The question is…is there a right and wrong way to use Hero Images? Well, of course. You can’t just plaster a large image on your site and expect it to work perfectly. The secret is in the telling. Let me explain that to you in detail below.

1. Make your visitors feel welcome – Now this may sound like an advice from the 80’s but bear with me here. Remember when I told you that the Hero Image is the first thing that your visitor will see when they visit your site? To a certain extent, it works like that funny doormat your neighbor always had. For anybody visiting their home, they would see the doormat, smile, and come in knowing the people inside have a good sense of humor. This is the same with your Hero Image. Make sure it exudes the same aura you are exuding as a brand. With a simple play in color and saturation, you can turn any photo into a powerful, warm, and inviting Hero Image just says “Come in, we’re open.
2. Don’t be afraid to add some action – A lot of websites who use hero images oftentimes just use generic and “static” images for their headers. Now, this can work for some but oftentimes adding a bit of “action” into the hero image can really do you some good. By adding a bit of momentum and movement into your Hero Image, you can create a very powerful yet playful image. Add a simple yet incisive message and you have yourself a keeper. Just don’t overdo it and use an image that is too “busy” as it distracts your visitors and may make your layout seem messy.
3. Get it going with grids – Aside from the whole hero image trend, grids are also one web design element that is getting popular these days. Don’t be afraid to use both elements in your web design. By using grids properly, you can help guide the visitor’s eyes to what is important in your page. You can split your Hero Image into two blocks to accommodate a graphic and the other typographic.
4. Don’t limit yourself – As boring as it sounds, most websites I know settle with a rectangular or box-shaped hero image for their website. This severely limits the storytelling value of your site. Don’t hesitate to play around with your hero image. Set it askew, experiment with lines, forget about symmetry, or you can even get a little bit creative with patterns and borders. Remember that if your hero image successfully captures the attention of your visitor, you already won half the battle.

Final Tips for A Good Hero Image

To wrap everything up, here are the three essential elements that should be present in your hero image

1. An eye-catching image – Humans are visual creatures. We love seeing images that appeal to us. You’ll agree with me when I say that you’d rather look at an infographic than read a wall of text. Make sure you use an image with high resolution and can really catch the attention of visitors.
2. A compelling copy – Depending on your choice of design, you might have very little room for a copy on your hero image. Either way, you should ensure that you have a catchy and compelling copy ready. This is to ensure that your visitors get your message.
3. An effective call-to-action – A simple button or link telling your customers what they should do next should be present in your hero image. Do you want them to check your inventory? Maybe direct them to your testimonial page to see stories from your other customers? It’s all up to you but always find a way to direct them to the next logical step towards your conversion funnel.

Don’t be afraid to play around with your website design. Be bold. Be free. In case you need help with your website design, don’t hesitate to contact the experts for help.

Posted: December 3, 2015

Updated: July 16, 2019

In an effort to better serve local businesses and clients not participating on Foxxr’s monthly SEO plans, we created a new department for quick website fixes, repairs and maintenance.

Our new team of highly skilled developers typically turn around requests in 3-10 business days at the very affordable rate of $75 per hour.

Whether you need speed improvements, aesthetic improvements or theme upgrades, we can handle your request in a timely matter.

As WordPress evolves and rolls out updates, plugins and themes must also be updated. This can sometimes cause performance issues that need to be addressed. Get your fixes done fast and problem free with Foxxr’s Ad Hoc Services. Save time and hassle so you can focus on what you do best, running your business.

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SEO campaigns, social media marketing, and a plethora of other elements of a strong online presence are constantly competing for the attention and the investment dollars of online businesses, but optimizing your website remains the core to creating a high conversion rate.

Optimal web design is often thought of almost exclusively in terms of aesthetics, but in reality, this is only one aspect of a high-performance website. Ultimately, the goal of Web design, whether you are building a new website or improving an existing one, is to create brand awareness, generate new leads, and (above all) make conversions. To accomplish this, you need every aspect of your website to be feature optimal “usability” and to focus on “user experience.”

Below, we look at 15 ways you can optimize your website with Web design strategies that are proven to make more customer conversions:

1. Keep It Simple.

The first principle of Web design to keep in mind, ironically, is to not “over-design.” That is, don’t add in numerous extra elements that serve no specific purpose. Doing so will only make it more difficult for site visitants to find what they’re looking for and lead to confusion and frustration, regardless of how entertaining those unnecessary elements may seem to be. In regard to color schemes, for example, most experts recommend at least three but no more than seven be used.

2. Optimize Your Fonts.

For online usage, there is a general consensus that some form of Sans Serif font is easier for viewers to read and that the best overall font size is 16pt. It also generally best to use no more than three typeface and 3 pt size options, and it is critical that background versus font colors contrasts to improve “readability.” Finally, don’t fill up the screen too tightly: a lot of white space can be beneficial in that it keeps your pages looking clean and uncluttered.

3. Create a “Visual Hierarchy.”

It is important to make the most important elements on each page stand out naturally, based on color, size, and position. Note that readers’ eyes tend to move from the top of the screen to the bottom and from its left to its right, so position calls to action and desired highlights accordingly. Using an unusually bold color contrast and making important elements larger than other elements on the page also helps.

4. Make Navigation “Intuitive.”

You want those who visit your site to spend their time investigating your products/services and, hopefully, making a purchase, not struggling to find their way around, getting “stuck,” and finally abandoning your site to never return again. To accomplish this, keep a fairly simple navigation bar always at the top of the page, avoid going more than three layers deep, avoid giving too many navigation options all at once, show the visitor’s navigation path in the page’s footer, and include clearly marked internal links.

5. Keep It Consistent.

You want your website to feel like a unified whole, not like three of four radically different websites randomly pasted together. There should be color, text, and tone consistencies throughout the site. Variation should also be used, but still consistently. Meaning, use a consistently distinct layout for particular “types” of pages, while allowing some elements to appear in every page.

6. Ensure Full Compatibility.

These days, users access the Internet via a wide range of devices, browsers, and Operating Systems, with mobile access being especially on the rise. Invest in responsive design software that can auto-adjust screen size and other elements based on which type of device the visitor is using. Also add alt-text to describe each image since some users will not be able to view those images.

7. Use Basic Conventions.

While you want your website to be unique and innovative, there are still certain conventions that online users are accustomed to and have come to expect. It is best to follow these to avoid unnecessary confusion/frustration. For example, a navigation bar at the top of the screen, a brand logo in the upper left corner, and links that “light up” when the mouse hovers over them are conventions that are probably too deeply ingrained to be discarded.

8. Work to Engender Trust.

No matter how flashy and functional your Web design may be, if visitors are unsure about your site’s credibility or even of whether or not they have a secure connection, sales will plummet. Trust levels generally go up when customers see the green https://, the “security lock” logo, an About Us page, an address and contact information, easy access to the price tags on your products, and clear, honest descriptions of those products.

9. Try Split-Screen Layouts.

One of the latest trends in Web design is the split-screen layout, which divide the screen into two or more subsections, each devoted to a particular category of product or service or taking you directly to a major division of the website.

10. Use Grid Layouts.

Regardless of whether or not you opt for split-screen, you cannot afford to abandon layout grids. Grids allow you to organize each page, to create columns and boxes and to use every square inch to maximum effectiveness.

11. Make Calls to Action Prominent.

Your CTA buttons should stand out due to color contrast, size, and positioning. They should also be easy to find due to “isolation.” Remove unnecessary distractions from around the CTAs so that they stand out as clearly as possible.

12. Personalize the Experience.

Using software that learns the history of past viewers as to which pages they visited when previously at your site, what past purchases they have made, and even their general browsing patterns, allows you to place appropriate offers and ads and otherwise personalize the experience. This is what Amazon.com, for example, and other online retailers do to great effect.

13. Reduce Load Time.

No matter how impressive your site’s Web design might be, it will be to no avail if potential “converts” flee the site before it is even finished loading. Getting professional Web design experts to compress JavaScript, optimize image dimensions, and reduce HTTP requests is key; but you also have to balance text and video/image content to reduce overall data load.

14. Remember “Hick’s Law.”

“Hick’s Law”, almost as well-known in Web design circles as Newton’s Law of gravity to the general public, says that the time it will take a customer to make a decision is directly proportional to the number of choices he/she is confronted with. Limit yourself to one CTA per page, collapse less-used menu options and have a simple navigation bar, and use links sparingly. Fewer choices mean a higher conversion rate.

15. A/B Test Everything.

In Web design, you should be periodically A/B testing all elements of your website to continuously gain effectiveness and to examine new trends to see how well they convert. Test checkout pages, product pages, CTA buttons, videos, images, headlines, testimonials, and everything else.

Conclusion

Doing everything possible to optimize your website for high conversion rates will pay off in the end. But be sure to get help from professional Web designers, like those at Foxxr.com, to ensure your website is at its full potential.

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A high-performance landing page is the crucial link between your paid and organic search ads and your business’ website. By equipping your website with the best converting landing pages, you greatly increase your visitor traffic and your overall sales.

Below, we list 11 landing page conversion tips, gleaned from numerous successful landing page examples. Use these tips to get great ideas on how to improve the aesthetic appeal, engagement level, and (above all) conversion rate of your own landing pages.

1. Be Concise But Thorough

While it might seem contradictory to promote both conciseness and thoroughness as twin elements of a good landing page, the task is not at all impossible. One way to accomplish this is to use concise descriptions throughout the page that are accompanied by links that access further information. This avoids overcrowding and allows for a quick scroll-over view, while providing extra information to those who want it.

2. Make Calls to Action “Salient”

The ultimate connection between a landing page and a higher conversion rate rests on its call to action buttons. These must, therefore, be placed in “salient,” that is, “highly visible” locations. Top-right or mid-screen are good options, as is having an “extra” call to action button at the bottom of the page. And making the button a bright or deep color that contrasts with the background can also help. Additionally, some modern websites are finding great success by placing call to action links throughout the web pages that their landing pages link to, and not just on the product pages.

3. Adjust Image Sizes to Vary Emphasis

Many landing pages will make images of products they want to emphasize larger than any other product images present. This can be effective with best sellers, with on-sale items, or when the sales funnel behind the landing page is focused on market segments likely to buy the emphasized product. However, be careful not to enlarge an image absent such “good reasons for doing so,” since that could lead to increased clicks without increased conversions. The emphasized product image needs to align with what your customers are likely looking for to begin with.

4. Be Careful About “Little Words”

Even small changes in the text of CTA buttons can sometimes make a big difference. For example, “Buy Now” has been shown to far better than “Shop Now” for getting conversions. Some might suppose that “shop” would seem less “pushy” and avoid bringing up the thought of spending money. But “shop” might confuse some who are already ready to buy and gain a lot of clicks of people who indeed “just shop.”

5. Avoid Unnecessary Distractions

Especially on landing pages and at conversion points, you need to get your leads to focus on a single action instead of being unduly distracted. This can mean removing “screen clutter” from around a CTA button, but it can also mean avoiding long forms that ask for too much information or making customers wait for a video to load and play before they can act on the CTA. And, finally, it means centering your landing pages and CTAs around things that customers are the most keenly interested in. For example, it might be a low price, a free shipping offer, or a unique product feature that your particular audience is most interested in.

6. Make Forms Short and Simple

To gain contact information for future follow-up ads, you will need to sometimes include forms to fill out on your landing pages, but remember that few people enjoy filling out forms. Make the form conspicuous but limit it to only a few fields if possible. Make text concise but clear enough that customers know exactly what to do. Avoid asking for overly sensitive information, and always ask for the most important data first. If possible, use a single instead of multiple page process, since that can boost conversion rates by over 20%.

7. Emphasize Customer Benefits

It is important that every landing page focuses on what customers care about most —how the product or service will benefit them. You need to look at your business and its products/services from the customer’s perspective. Customers may have some interest in product specs and About Us information, but front and central should be benefit statements that tell the page visitor “what’s in it for him/her.”

8. Use Headlines, Taglines, and Other Text “In Tandem”

The purpose of headlines is to “grab attention,” and thus, these should be most prominent and also relatively short. “Taglines,” on the other hand, should follow up on the headlines by adding additional and “clarifying” information. Finally, the smallest-font text and that which is least conspicuous (if not collapsed and hidden) should give access to the nitty-gritty details that a smaller portion of landing page visitants will want to see before making a conversion.

9. Include Optional Demo Videos

For many types of products and services, customers are much more likely to convert if they can first see a video demo on how to use the product or on how the service will be rendered. Since all customers will not wish to watch the video, and because those with slow-loading computers could end up abandoning the landing page if forced to load the video, you should not make the video auto-start but make it optional to watch. Also consider using full background screen videos once the customer clicks to see the demo, however, so the video is as large as possible.

10. Strive to Engender Trust

In recent surveys, one in six customers indicates they have dropped an order due to “security concerns,” and six in ten say they have decided not to purchase a product due to the lack of a “trust badge.” Including a link to your About Us page, showing your business’ physical address and contact information, giving a link to customer testimonials, and listing endorsements all help establish trust. A trust badge, backed up by the proper certification and well recognized by consumers, also boosts confidence and thus conversion rates in this age of rampant online fraud.

11. Use Polite, Personable Language

While it is possible to be over-personal and drive customers away, neither do you want to seem too distant and impersonal. Use personal pronouns, especially “we” and “you” to add that personal touch and don’t use language too technical for most of your audiences to readily understand. Also be sure to “leave a thank you note” for those who buy a product or even just visit your site, which will also give an opportunity to ask for contact data in exchange for a special offer.

Some Good Landing Page Examples:

Conclusion

Typically, most online businesses spend over 90 times more effort to bring visitors to their websites than they spend on actually trying to convert them into customers. Yet, without conversions, all is in vain. Landing pages are one key element in making conversions and are worthy to invest in, as they stand between the ad and website.

To learn more about maximizing the conversion potential of your landing page or pages, or to avail yourself of professional web design services, contact Foxxr today at 727-379-2207 or fill out our online contact form.

The Popularity of WordPress

WordPress has been soaring in popularity as a small business CMS (Content Management System) over the last 10 years or more, and though originally designed with blog sites specifically in mind, it has now become the top Web-content management software for non-blogging websites as well.

Many will naturally ask such questions as “What are the reasons for the popularity of WordPress Web design?” and “Why do so many small businesses choose WordPress over their other options?” Below, we attempt to answer these queries by highlighting 12 WordPress Web design features that are driving its status as the leading CMS platform in the modern market.

1. WordPress is Perfect for Website Redesign.

The flexibility and compatibility of WordPress make it simple, convenient, and affordable to redesign an existing Website. This is crucial since business websites need to grow and change with the businesses themselves.

2. WordPress Web Design Allows for Full Customization.

When you design using WordPress, you are put in full control over future updates and changes, and you can brand your Web pages to your exact specifications. There are literally thousands of themes, templates, and plug-ins to choose from, which can be custom-selected to uniquely, fully, and accurately express what your brand is all about.

3. You Can Easily Add a Blog and Keep it Active Using the WordPress CMS.

Blogging capabilities are integrated into the basic WordPress platform, making it fast and simple to run a blog. You can even set up an RSS feed, auto-post recent blogs to your home page, enable email subscriptions to your blog, allow readers to leave comments. WordPress makes blog management fast, simple, and high-tech.

4. WordPress is Virtually Synonymous with “Scalability.”

With WordPress, there is no need to immediately purchase all the elements you eventually want on your small business website. You can begin as basic or advanced as you wish and then add new plug-ins and functionalities as desired.

5. The WordPress Interface is The Epitome of “User-Friendly.”

There is no need to be a professional Web designer to make simple updates on a WordPress website, for adding new pages, posts, and images is easy and takes only a few seconds. The interface is highly “intuitive,” lessening the learning curve tremendously and saving you valuable time. Additionally, because WordPress is a browser-based system, you can manage your website from any computer that is connected to the Internet.

6. WordPress is Exceptionally “Search-Engine Friendly.”

Using WordPress helps drive more traffic to your site through integrated SEO strategies. First, a very simple code is used that is easier for search engines to read/index. Second, you can add meta tags, keyword phrases, descriptions, titles, and more to every webpage, blog post, and image on your site. The end result is your website content is easily digested by search engines and accurately portrayed to Web searchers.

7. Your Website Will be Automatically Kept Secure.

WordPress updates itself automatically, including its security features, which keeps you constantly abreast of the latest safeguards against online spies, thieves, and viruses.

8. WordPress Assists You with In-House Security as Well.

WordPress allows you to permit multiple users/administrators for your website. But to keep things organized and secure, WordPress also lets you designate “access levels” and “procedure restrictions” that keep you in control of who sees your information and what they do with it.

9. No HTML-editing/FTP Software is Needed with WordPress.

As WordPress is a fully functioning system in its own right, you do not need (as with some other CMS platforms) to use extra, outside software to enable functions like text formatting, image/document uploads, image editing, creation of picture galleries, or integration of video content.

10. Web Developers Love WordPress.

When it comes time to hire a professional web developer to handle a major website redesign or to solve a problem you can’t handle on your own, the fact that WordPress uses standard coding will make it easy to find the help you need.                                                                                                                                                                                 

11. WordPress Web Design is Fast.

WordPress’s internal setup makes it possible to be coded faster, without compromising on quality, than is possible with fully hand-coded websites. This means fewer downtime waiting for Web design or redesign.

12. WordPress Web Design is Affordable.

Since most of the basic, essential WordPress plug-ins are free and many of the more advanced plug-ins are relatively inexpensive, WordPress Web design is as affordable as it is advantageous.

To learn more about WordPress Web design or to avail your business of an experienced WordPress Web developer, contact us at Foxxr today by filling out our online form. Foxxr specializes in WordPress Web design services and can custom-build or fully redesign your business’ website in a way that uniquely expresses your brand and optimally identifies with your online visitors.

Businesses that depend on their website for a large portion or even the entirety of their stream cannot afford to settle for less than optimal web design. What constitutes superior web design? The answer to that question is many-fold, but every design element must contribute to converting the traffic driven to your website by your online ads and SEO efforts and encourage heightened customer retention and satisfaction.

While the list of important design elements for business websites could be extended indefinitely, the following 10 web design features are arguably the most vital:

1. Easy Accessibility

Perhaps, the most basic and most crucial factor of all is that your website be fully accessible from all major web browsers, including mobile browsers. Unless your website is mobile Web responsive, you could be losing over half of your potential site visitors, and if Google Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari, or Android Browser does not function well with your site, you could easily discourage a tenth or more of would-be visitors.

2. Simple Navigation

It is imperative that those who arrive at your website be able to quickly find what they are looking for and navigate it with ease. One strategy to simplify navigation is to use “hamburger” or “accordion” style menus in place of long drop-down menus. A site map is another possible solution. However it is accomplished, visitors should never feel “lost” or “trapped” among your webpages.

3. Excellent Credibility

Not only must people be able to find and navigate your site with ease, but once there, they should be confident they can safely use it. Using https will show you have been credentialed as the authentic site you claim to be. Including verifiable contact information, a clearly written About Us page, good grammar/spelling, and valid links will all also tend to increase customer confidence.

4. Quick Load Times

Websites with high bounce rates, minimal time spent on the site, and few pages viewed per visit will have devastatingly low conversion rates. One reason for this poor performance is often slow loading times. Users should be able to load your pages quickly from any device and without perfect memory and Wi-Fi connection conditions.

5. Social Media Integration

The dominance and multiplicity of social media platforms on the modern Web demands the attention of every small business’ website. The placement of social media buttons in prominent locations and posting recent Tweets/social media updates to pique interest are helpful. And adding your own social login to create a “user community” is often a great way to offer exclusive discounts and create customer loyalty.

6. Well Designed Forms

Many times, the only way to obtain visitors’ email or other contact data is to make them a special offer if they fill out a short form. However, forms that are not clearly labeled as to purpose, have too many fields to fill in, or ask for non-essential information are likely to be left blank. Optimizing form design is key to maximizing conversion rates.

7. Website-Based Email Marketing

By use of WordPress and/or other web design software, a professional web design company can integrate your website with your email marketing strategy. Websites can
generate emails automatically after form completions, registrations, and order placements. Each page visited or product ordered can be linked to different emails that will make follow-up maximally relevant to each contact.

8. A Streamlined Check-Out System

Specialized remarketing software can help your recover some of your abandoned shopping carts, but far better to minimize their number to begin with. To get as many customers to the end of the check-out line, use as few steps (pages) as possible in the process, keep design simple and intuitive, and use progress trackers that show the would-be buyer’s previous, current, and next steps.

9. Use Pleasant/Effective Aesthetics

Your website needs to be easy to read, using 14-point or higher fonts and unique, brand-specific icons. Using an “F” screen pattern for text also helps. This means putting the most important information toward the top and left of the screen since people read webpages the same way as books (top-to-bottom and left-to-right). Three final strategies are using a grid to create organization, using complementary colors to create harmony, and leaving plenty of white space to minimize clutter.

10. Eliminate “Roadblocks”

Website users should never be simply “stuck.” Even if they typed in an incorrect character or clicked once in the wrong place, it is the web designer’s responsibility to use “contingency design strategies” that give users “another chance.”

All of these 10 vital web design elements, and additional website optimizations, can be incorporated into your website via advanced web design software. As many business men/women don’t have the time to become expert web designers themselves, however, it is often best to rely on an experienced, proven web design company.

2015 was the year of everything avocado, 3D-Printing, and the Internet of Things. This coming 2016, it will be all about Interactive Content, Virtual Reality, and Artificial Intelligence. Even in the world of web design, trends change fast. There was a time when page by page pop-ups were the rave, but now they are treated as the plague in modern web design standards. Aside from its fast pace, there are also multiple trends that can appear at any given time.

For this year, card-style interfaces, animated user interface elements, and videos as website headers will start the trend with a focus on customer engagement. To help you out, here are 2 things you should consider before implementing a new web design trend in 2016.

Align with Your Website Goals

A website is created for a purpose. It can be to get more people to recognize your product or to get your brand message seen by more prospective customers. Depending on your goal in mind, various trends can be applicable for a website redesign. Before undergoing a website redesign, you must always have clear sight of your website goals

Take this example from https://dvdesignstudios.com/. You can clearly see that the main purpose of the home page is to showcase the work of the studio. They are using a very minimalistic design, so there will be no distractions on the page. The home page also offers a wide array of methods to contact the business which is the next logical step for clients who are amazed by their work.

Understand Your Target Market

Basic user experience knowledge tells us that we need to think about who the website is catering to in order to ensure the best conversion rates.

If Club Ed, a Surf School in Santa Cruz, decides to use hero video headers for their website redesign they have to think about their target market. In paper, it does sound like a good thing considering the target demographic of a surf school may like the idea of watching video of people shred on their surfboards. But you should consider the fact that putting a hero video header may increase load time which may not be good people who are not that patient. In cases like this, a split test may be necessary to see which option offers conversion rates.

Weigh the Pros and Cons of Design Trends

Just like buying newest gadgets, the latest toys, or the most-recent apps, the idea of adopting a new trend can be very exciting. Still, you need to understand that they have their own pros and cons. Having an expert web designer assisting you can be a very great start. With a professional web designer, they can help you identify the positives and negatives of a specific web design trend. This way, you can minimize the negative effect while amplifying the positives.

Consider Hiring a Pro

A website redesign can be a positive thing for your business, but make sure you are not blindly jumping into it. Hiring an experienced website designer to help you out is a smart decision. A professional website designer in Santa Cruz  (like Foxxr) can help you pick the best platform, theme, plugins and design for your website. It’s your portal to the world that will help strengthen your brand and drive online traffic!

They say that the New Year is always a good time to start anew. For many businesses, the New Year marks the start of new strategies and the perfect time for changes to be done.

Lately, the Internet as a whole has undergone changes. For the ordinary folk, you might not be aware of these changes but your website might be suffering because of it. Not only do these redesigns give a breathe of fresh air, but it also updates the brand’s website to reflect the latest best practices. But the question is, should you go with a freelancer from the other side of the world or is it better to hire a website designer in St. Petersburg where it’s nearer?

Before we go comparing the two, let’s just set a premise first. Let’s assume that both parties are equally good in what they do. We will discuss the pros and cons of hiring either, and we’ll see what is the better choice for you as a business.

Relatively Cheap Good Labor vs A Complete Service

They say that the main selling point of outsourced freelance web designers would definitely be their price. If you know where to look, you can find an overseas web designer who will ask less than 50% of the price of what a regular agency would ask from you. For a lot of business owners, this is the deal maker. But should you just base everything on the price alone?

A local website designer in St. Petersburg might charge you more than an outsourced freelance web designer but it’s for a good reason. More often than not, these local web designers offer a complete package that only a local correspondent can provide. Want to talk right away? Just give them a call. Want a sit down meeting to discuss issues? Just set a time and date, and they will be there. The price tag that local web designers give you not only reflects the talent they are bringing to the table but also the level of service, they are willing to extend to the client. Sure, if you just have a small project that needs little to no correspondence, and you are a bit strapped in cash, and then maybe an outsourced party can take care of that for you. But if you need a person or team that will guide you from start to finish on what needs to be done, then looking for a website designer is St. Petersburg is your best bet.

Your Time or My Time?

This may not be true for all outsourced freelance web designers out there, but time is usually a concern when working with people from halfway around the world. While most freelance web designers don’t mind working at your time (which is usually night on their end), it becomes an issue when you need them right away for certain things like small changes.

While most local web designers in St. Petersburg have specific business hours, at least you know that you can text or email them at around 3PM because you know it’s also 3PM on their clock. This means that when you are hit with an idea, you can just shoot it right away to your local web designer, and they can act on it right away. You don’t have to wait for 12 midnight to shoot them a message at Skype because you know that’s the time they wake up.

A Wildcard or Somebody Who Truly Understands

There is an ongoing debate nowadays with regards to whether hiring an outsourced web developer can actually reflect the ideals and vision of a brand. The question stems from the fact that different places have different conventions or “inside information” that may seem farfetched or unimportant for somebody from a different place. For example, a client from Australia might find it hard to make a web designer from the Philippines understand their love of cricket because the game does not exist in the Philippines. On the other hand, an outsourced web developer can come up with pretty unique ideas as a result of a mix of 2 different ideologies or cultures. It may not work 100% of the time but the possibility of it being a great idea is always there.

When you hire a local web designer, they understand what you do, how you do it, and why you do it. If you come from the same city, you will have the same understanding of how everything works. As a result, they can come up with a plan or strategy that is not just effective but also necessary for you and your business. This is because they know where you are coming from and understand what you need to succeed as a business.

Personally, I see nothing wrong with hiring an outsourced website designer. They are cheaper, and they can get the job done. But you also have to embrace the fact that they are from a different country and from a different time zone. This may result in delayed projects brought about by misunderstandings and differences in work times. If you think, you can get over those drawbacks, and then an outsourced freelance web designer might just work for you.

On the contrary, a local website designer in St. Petersburg might cost you more money, but you will have nothing of the possible problems that can arise from hiring an outsourced freelance web designer. They can also provide possibly the most appropriate plan for you as a local business because they know exactly what you need. Another good thing about hiring a local website designer in St. Petersburg is that you can contact them anytime something comes up and you know they will be there ready to help you out.

How many times have you landed on a website and instantly jumped due to slow load times, popups, confusing navigation, or the worst…..auto-play videos! I swear websites like these should be reported to the Internet police but then again, a lot of popular websites are guilty of this. Too many unnecessary features cause a detrimental effect on the site’s usability. I don’t need a background media player or floating bars that get in the way of my reading. All I want is a website that allows me to find the information I was searching for.

Aesthetics Vs User Experience

Having a great web design is good and all but it’s pretty useless if it ends there. A lot of businesses make this very elementary mistake all because they believe humans in general are visual creatures. Albeit true to a certain extent (94% of a customer’s first impressions are design oriented), your customers aren’t just there to drool over your brand colors and modern website feel. They are there to use your website and if they realize it’s actually hard to use then they might turn around and never look back. As a matter of fact, up to 88% of consumers won’t think about going back to a website after a bad experience.

Why Focus on User Experience

Remember that 90% of the time, it will be the customer who will be using the website. What works for you as the owner might not be something that your customers will like. First of all, the website should be useful. People should get something of value from your site. It might just serve as a place where your customers can read news about your company but they will be more than happy with it if they can get their daily dose of news and information without any hiccups. So no matter what you do, always put yourself in your customer’s shoes and try to use the site from their perspective. Is it easy to use? Does the website provide features that make everything accessible and usable?

If your site is a bit older, you might realize that it’s getting a bit outdated. It might still “work” but you may be losing customers because of the fact that people have a hard time using your website.

So what can you possibly do? Well, why don’t you do what the best website developers have done since the beginning of time?

Create a website FOR your customers.

But you have been doing that in the past, right? That you are actually putting your customer first when creating your website or that you are always prioritizing their experience, right? Well, I know you haven’t really thought about that but it’s OK. A lot of brands with older websites are now realizing the problem and are now redesigning their websites to ensure that their customers get the best experience possible without jeopardizing the brand messaging.

Enhancing User Experience in Your Website

Like what I mentioned above, there is still a chance for you to enhance the user experience on your website through a redesign. Remember that what you should put in mind will be the customer’s experience while using the website. By definition, user experience is the overall impact of the website design, content, marketing, and site usability. Here are some of the web elements you might want to consider for your website redesign to enhance the user experience for your customers.

1. Long Scroll

Before, the whole idea of a website is to have a home page then have multiple pages to complement it. The idea was good back when your visitors all used their desktops and laptops to visit your site. Nowadays, a good number of Internet users are using their mobile devices. This is aside the fact that people’s attention span has shortened. So what does this mean for you and your website? Well, this just means that we have to change the way we design our homepage. The idea of a long-scrolling page with a storytelling approach appeals more to people who have little time to spend in browsing. With a long-scroll home page, you can give tidbits of relevant information to your visitors without them going to another page. It’s as if you are giving your customer the power to control their pacing towards immersion that they can’t get with a page-by-page design.

2. Card and Grid Layouts

Sometimes, the biggest problem that websites have is presenting content to their visitors. The card and grid based layout solves this problem for a lot of brands. Multiple websites have adapted the card and grid approach for a very simple reason – it presents your content in an architecturally organized format. It helps your customer “see” the content they want to look at. It provides a sense of consistency in your website that gives your customer the idea of a content hierarchy that helps them understand which of the content is more important than the others.

3. Hero Images

Don’t worry, you won’t be seeing images with laser vision or superhuman strength. In a nutshell, hero images are large attractive headers. Their main purpose it to be visually pleasing to your site. Most of the time, hero images are used above the fold and this is where you put your brand slogan and/or a call-to-action.

4. Micro Interactions

They say that a team is only as strong as the weakest member – no matter how small his/her job is. This can also be said with your website. Your website is made up of a team of micro interactions with each of them accomplishing one task and one task alone. These tasks include changing settings, uploading an image, sharing an article to Facebook, or playing background audio. All of these are considered micro interactions and they might not be pretty obvious but they play important roles. As the website owner, you need to ensure that the micro interactions are seamlessly embedded into your website. You would know if your micro interactions are working properly if your customer never really notice them. Just make sure they answer a specific need and are useful to your customers. You don’t really want to flood your website with unnecessary micro interactions.

5. Flat and Material Design

They say that sometimes the answer to all our problems is to go back to the basics. This is true with web design. A recent trend in website design hails websites that stripped down all the unnecessary elements and went back to a simple, flat design. This design aims to remove various stylistic choices that give customers the illusion of three dimensionality. The focus of flat and material design is functionality and aesthetics only come second. It makes load times faster while ensuring that the website will not lose its beauty across various devices. In a sense, it makes everything easier both for the designer and the users.

If you believe your website lacks any of the web elements mentioned above and are experiencing some issues with your website then you might just be needing a website redesign. Contact the experts in web design and ask how you can give your visitors a much better user experience with your website.

Social media might have all the hype these days but having a website is still an important part of an online marketing campaign. One big difference between social media and having your own website is that you are given complete freedom in customizing it. You might already have your own website right now and I applaud you for it as it is your start in enforcing your brand authenticity. If not, web design services are dime a dozen these days and a web design company in right here in St. Petersburg might just be your ticket towards online domination.

Well, that’s unless they commit some web design mistakes that might do your brand more harm than good. Even the top web design companies are guilty of this. Sometimes, projects get too cluttered and complicated that both the designers and owner forget the very purpose why they created the website – to create conversions and earn money.

So buckle up and call your web design agency right now and try to identify if your website is guilty of the top 6 mistakes on website design.

1. A Visually Confusing Layout

We get it, nobody wants their website to be the boring Sally in the world of cool Lizzies and quirky Zachs. The problem is that we oftentimes go overboard. Remember that whenever you create a website, it should be targeted towards your users and not to you as the owner. The idea is simple, your customer/visitor should be able to easily find what they are looking for, buy it with ease, and then possibly give them a means to leave a feedback.

The problem arises when we try to give too much to our customers. A function right here, maybe some widgets over there, a splash of embedded content on another side. All these things are good in their own right but sometimes enough is enough. Your target should be a great customer experience and you can’t give them that if you keep shoving content every chance you get.

How Do You Solve This?

Start by structuring your pages systematically. For those who are still planning on creating their own website, you can create an outline for your web design and content. Ask yourself, what are the essential stuff that my customers should see when they go to my website? Learn to prioritize the content that will be vital and of value to your customers and place them in places where they can easily be seen. Lastly, don’t forget to remove or relocate redundant content as this will add to the clutter in your website.

2. Barely Readable Text and Bad Copy

A lot of people say that 2015 and onwards will begin the dominance of videos and images in the world of content. Personally, I still believe text or copy still has that very special place in our hearts. Nothing quite compels you to buy something than the words “Buy me now”, right? Kidding aside, we often disregard text content or your website copy and just relegate it as a secondary priority in our website design. The result? A website with text that is barely readable (all thanks to that new font your web designer got on sale) and a website copy that has no x-factor. In the case of the font, I do understand that we sometimes get tempted to use customized fonts but getting too customized might be detrimental.

Albeit more of a concern on the side of a copywriter, you should make sure that your copy sells. I mean, we all have the same pile of words to use as all the other businesses and they can easily convert while you are still waiting for your first sale. Make sure you choose your words and make your delivery succinct but compelling. Nobody wants a long and winding piece of content that ultimately begs you to click the checkout button.

How Do You Solve This?

First, go back to the basics. Choose a font that is legible enough to be seen. Put yourself in your customer’s shoes. It’s also necessary for you to select the optimal font size. Not too big as it will be taking too much space and not too small that you need to look closer to be able to read. Do you need to squint to understand the text? Do you need a Wookian translator to get the gist of the content? Lastly, study your target market. What are the words they use on a daily basis? Find the right words that resonate with your target market and incorporate them into your copy. Remember that words may not look much but they can make or break a business.

3. Poor Website Navigation

Ever felt so dismayed with a website because they can’t seem to take you to where you want to go? It’s just like a library sans the markers and aisle guides. You could go round and round for ages and still not get what you want because the site is like a maze. Well, don’t worry. You are not alone. Thousands of different websites out there still can’t properly layout their page so their customers won’t get lost. It’s as if they want customers to leave instead of stay.

A proper layout should be a top priority for you and your web designer. Your website visitors should be able to easily navigate your website with as little errors as possible. It should be an effortless experience for your customer. Once the customer hits a wall, gets an error message, or is being led around like a poodle then he/she will probably leave for good. Being creative and unique is good but make sure that it won’t make the website a pain to use. If the reason why you have a website is to sell then make that a priority. Aesthetics should come secondary. Your customer should be able to visit your site, do what they want to do, and maybe stay a while to read up with relative ease.

How Do You Solve This?

Sometimes, the answer to the most complicated questions can be pretty obvious. For layout or navigation problems, what you have to do is to lead your customers to the right path. Provide a clear call-to-action button. This button should direct your customer to the next logical step in your sales funnel and please no misdirected links to your “opportunity pages”. That was cute at one point but it’s considerably annoying these days. Ensure that all your links are healthy and that there are no errors. Make sure you account for broken links or missing pages as these things really discourage customers. Lastly, don’t be afraid of having white space on your page. Simple designs will still get conversions as long as the while website is pretty straightforward. Remember that your site design should always reflect your brand’s straightforwardness.

4. A Missing Search Box

I really don’t know about other web agencies out there but a search box for me is still a fundamental part of a website especially when you have a large inventory. Having a search box simply means your customer can do a simple search for a specific item, service, or page without having to spend time navigating. Sometimes, customers just don’t want to click on links and just want to go to where they want to be. Your search box should be an alternative to regular navigation. Offering a way to customize the search so your customers can filter the search results will be a big plus.

5. Too Many Colors

Personally, I believe one of the more challenging parts in creating a website is choosing the right colors – and rightly so! On one hand, you want your website to be visually appealing but you also want to make sure that the combination of colors won’t make it look like a 3-year old’s art project. I’ve had my share of staring at websites with 5 color combinations and it was not a good experience.

How Do You Solve This?

It is a standard rule to just keep your website color palette to 2-3 colors. If you find it hard to choose different colors, do this one trick I do. Choose one color and then try out different shades to create a variation. Also, don’t forget that the colors on your logo can also be utilized on your website. If done correctly, the colors will stick to your customer’s heads and they can recognize your logo and website from a mile away. Lastly, don’t hesitate to use free tools online such as the Adobe Color Wheel to help you out.

6. Not being mobile friendly

In the US alone, 64% of Americans have smartphones while 15% of young Americans between 18-29 are heavily dependent on their smartphones for online access. This means that these days and in the near future, people will be using their smartphones more and more. In fact, according to the figures from eMarketer, we should expect 2 billion consumers using their smartphones by 2016. Do you know what all these facts tell us? That businesses are losing money by not making their websites mobile friendly. Oh and don’t just stop at making them mobile friendly. Also make sure that they load pretty fast both on their smartphones and desktops. So ask your web design agency about making your website mobile friendly. Most of the top web design companies can easily help you out in making a mobile-ready website or converting a non-mobile ready site into one.

Save Your Conversions Right Away

Most often than not, we tend to blame the marketing side of the business when we fail to make conversions. At least now we know that having problems on your website can really kill your conversions. Checking your website every now and then is a good way to ensure that everything is in order. In case everything is still unclear to you and you suspect that it has something to do with your web design then it will be great if you contact a web design expert in St. Petersburg who can help you out.

8 Essential Questions for Web Design and Local SEO Projects

At the onset of a web design project for a local business, it is important to gather all relevant information and not wait until the time comes that you need it.

It’s important to provide a pleasant customer experience that establishes trust and keeps your clients returning. Your client intake process is the perfect chance to show your clients how important they are to your business. The goal should be making your process as smooth and as easy as possible for clients. It is important to see the process through the eyes of a new client. As such, it is important to explain to each client every step of your intake process and the reason why you need their information for their web design and local seo project.

First, you need to know why the information is important to you, so you can communicate this to your clients.

1. Know the core business information

First on the web design questionnaire, you have to ensure that you have your client’s correct name, address, and phone number (NAP). This information should be consistent in all business listing directories and citations and it is considered one of the top local search ranking factors that will help your local business to the top of search.  Many new customers can be gained from local searches, and this potential should be put to good use.

2. What social media channels are being used?

If clients want their business to flourish online, then social media is an essential tool in their arsenal. Before starting a project, know what social networks clients are involved in and their level of engagement in each one. Social network selection and strategies depend highly your client’s industry and demographics. For example, if you are a carpet cleaning company and local search results are appearing for Google+ and Yelp, emphasis should be placed there.

3. Brainstorm keyword ideas

To get relevant traffic on their website, clients need to pay attention to the keywords they use. The SEO landscape has changed through the years, and it is advisable to conduct a keyword brainstorming session with clients so you are sure you have all the bases covered. For local clients, high volume and high competition keywords are recommended; the Google keyword planner is an indispensable tool when it comes to geotargeted research. For national clients who are not concerned with local searches, Google’s Penguin update and Knowledge Graph has shifted effective SEO’s focus from single keywords into themed concepts. The trick is to focus on a topic as a theme and organize your SEO strategy around that.

4. Identify competitors

This is an often overlooked but very valuable step in the client intake process. Have your client list the top competitors (you know…the ones that come to mind quickly that whey want to dominate). You’ll have other opportunities later in the process to perform some additional competitor research. For now, just list the top five to get your client thinking competitively.

5. What are the top markets?

Where you focus your marketing efforts is as important as the effort itself. If you sell make up and cosmetics in a predominantly male town, you may have to re-examine your marketing campaign. You can also expand your service area or focus on products or services that people in your area are actually searching for.

6. Target demographics play an important role in your messaging

An important aspect of getting your message across is knowing who you are talking to. Aside from targeted services, your target demographic will also dictate your social media engagement and the writing style on your website. It is also a good marketing rule of thumb to focus on a target demographic rather than throwing your service on a random wall and seeing if sticks.

7. Gather components for a great “About” page

This is where you show your clients “who” your business is. Making an online presence entails providing a persona that your clients can identify with. Clients should have an idea of who you are and why you are doing what you do. Your About Us page is also a great opportunity to show clients how your service can benefit them and how.

8. Understand current marketing tactics and processes

Of course, it would be a big help if you knew what your clients were doing even before you worked together. You should be aware of their marketing efforts and whether they were successful or implemented properly. From here, you can decide if you should adopt some of their strategies or start from scratch. From a strategic point of view, this is vital; a review of clients’ previous or ongoing marketing efforts will give you an idea on how to move forward.

The information listed above is far from a comprehensive list, but it will help you and your clients get started. Hopefully, it will help push you in the right direction and make a satisfied customer out of an apprehensive one.

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Online messaging is coming at us from all directions. The addictive nature of web browsing is shortening our attention span below nine seconds. Yikes!!

If you want to convert your readers into leads or customers, make sure your website design is able to quickly attract and keep them coming back for more.

5 tips for effective web pages:

1. Think F Pattern – Most readers’ eyes scan across your website in an F pattern. They start in a horizontal movement, usually across the upper part of the content area. This initial element forms the F’s top bar. Next, readers move down the page a bit and then read across in a second horizontal movement that typically covers a shorter area than the previous movement. This forms the F’s lower bar. Finally, readers scan down the content’s left side in a vertical movement. Publish your important web pages content based on the F reading pattern in mind.
2. Eye Candy –  Avoid too many colors, flashy animation and more than 2-3 typefaces. These are the basics that can distract visitors away from your message. Design is a important,, but content is king. Distracting potential customers with too much design and not enough content can make them click away from your site and move on to your competition.
3. Get Personal – Consumers want to buy from people, not machines. Connect with your prospects by being honest, straightforward, and using a conversational style. Spell out the benefits your visitors will experience when they buy from you or hire you. They want to quickly learn “what’s in it for them.”
4. Get Social – Readers may judge you or your company by the size or quality of the social networks you have built. They may also want to do a little more research before taking action. Linking to social media sites gives your potential customers another glimpse into your company (and perhaps a few testimonials from other customers).
5. Convert – The idea behind most websites is to generate revenue. If they like what they see, readers need to know what to do next. Whether you convert them to a subscriber, new lead or customer, getting the reader to take action will ultimately generate revenue.

Once you determine a few areas where you can improve your site’s web pages, develop a plan to start implementing changes.  You don’t have to do them all at once – just do a few at a time until you have a website that really converts.